


World Victory Tour - Sydney

by nanuk_dain



Series: Drift Compatible [58]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, PBC (Post-Breach-Collapse)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-24 16:19:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18575092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanuk_dain/pseuds/nanuk_dain
Summary: In Sydney, Chuck takes Raleigh to meet his Mum.





	World Victory Tour - Sydney

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry, this is a bit angsty... But it had to be done in order to allow Chuck to heal. I hope you still like it! ^_^

_Sydney, Australia, March 6th 2025_

 

When they arrive in Sydney, Chuck is uncharacteristically quiet. He falls silent already on the plane. Raleigh feels him put a shield in place that's muting the ghost drift, but it's not a barrier and Chuck never pulls back from where his head is resting on Raleigh's shoulder. So Raleigh just watches him and leaves him to his thoughts because he can tell that Chuck is working through something. It's quite obviously not his goal to shut Raleigh out, it's more like Chuck needs time to himself to come to a decision. Or maybe come to terms with something, Raleigh isn't quite sure what exactly is going on. 

When they leave the plane, Chuck gives him a half-smile over his shoulder and a quick squeeze of his hand, then the reporters and fans corner them in the arrival area and hundreds of camera flashes go off all around them. The quick touch reassures Raleigh, especially because Chuck accompanies the gesture with a wave of warmth over the ghost drift. 

Chuck remains in this strangely subdued condition throughout the day, although he covers it nicely during the interviews and the evening's live show. It shows that he has a lot of practise in dealing with the media considering that he's only twenty-one years old, and for a moment Raleigh feels oddly sad that he had to develop such mechanisms. It says a lot about how Chuck grew up, and how far removed his life was from what a childhood should be like. 

Even in the evening, when they're alone in their hotel room, Chuck remains quiet. Raleigh is slowly getting seriously worried about what is going on that put him in this strange mood, but he knows better than to ask. Chuck will tell him when he's ready. 

When they lie down to sleep, Chuck immediately scoots close to Raleigh, cuddles up to his side and hides his face against Raleigh's neck. Raleigh doesn't hesitate to wrap his arms around him and lets his hands draw a soothing pattern on Chuck's back. He feels Chuck relax into him, the tension slowly leaving his frame.

"Thanks, Rals." Chuck murmurs against the skin of Raleigh's throat, his voice so quiet that Raleigh barely hears it.

Raleigh just presses a kiss to his forehead and tightens his arms. He's glad when he feels Chuck drift to sleep only a few minutes later. He was worried that Chuck wouldn't get any rest at all tonight, but he's obviously exhausted enough that his body claims its time to recharge. 

It's not a peaceful night, though. With Chuck asleep, his mental shield weakens to almost nothing and his nightmares transmit to Raleigh almost unhindered. There are Kaiju, there are explosions, there are screams, there is helplessness, there is crippling pain, there is grief, there is mindless anger and helpless rage, there is fear, there it disappointment, there is loss. When Raleigh wakes, he feels like a Kaiju did a step dance on his head, and he's oddly relieved to feel the memories of the dreams slip away into oblivion in the gentle light of the early morning. When he looks down, he find that Chuck is still asleep, one of his legs thrown over Raleigh's and his arms wrapped around Raleigh in a tight grip. He looks exhausted and it's quite obvious that his night was no better than Raleigh's. 

Raleigh is glad that the first appointment of the day is only at noon, because he's reasonably sure that neither he nor Chuck are up to facing the press right now. He allows himself to linger in bed for a few minutes and let his fingers card through Chuck's tousled hair while he clears his mind. Then Raleigh slips out from under Chuck and gets up to make some coffee in the pantry, because nothing makes Chuck feel better in the morning than a steaming hot cup of strong coffee. While it brews, Raleigh takes a quick shower to wash away the remaining feeling of unease from the night's dreams. They're only shadows of memories by now, but he knows that he experienced Chuck's nightmares - something that hasn't happened like this before. It gives him an idea what Chuck's subdued mood is about. It's not too difficult considering that one of the worst events of Chuck's life happened right here in Sydney.

Raleigh quickly gets dressed and then pours two cups of coffee. He takes one of the mugs, sits down on the edge of the bed right next to Chuck and holds the hot liquid close enough to his nose that Chuck begins to stir. Raleigh smirks and waits patiently until Chuck peels his eyes open and almost immediately fixates on the steaming mug in front of him.

"Morning, Charlie." Raleigh says with a gentle smile and waves his hand over the cup to get even more of the delicious smell to reach Chuck's nose.

"Coffee?" Chuck asks, his voice hoarse from disuse, but it still easily transmits his hopefulness. 

"Yep. Coffee." Raleigh's smile turns into a grin and he waits for Chuck to prop himself up on one elbow before he hands him the mug. It's received eagerly and Chuck closes his eyes in pleasure when he takes the first sip, not bothering to hide his appreciative moan. It's especially cute in combination with his hair is standing up at odd angles. 

"You're the best." Chuck mumbles into his mug, which he's downing at an astonishing pace. 

Raleigh chuckles and gets up to get his own coffee from the pantry, then he sits down on the bed again and watches Chuck almost inhale his coffee. When Chuck is done, he stretches, then gets up and kisses Raleigh on the shoulder before he disappears in the en-suite. Raleigh hears the shower running for quite some time, and when Chuck finally emerges from the bathroom, he's only wearing his jeans and is running a towel through his hair. 

"Rals?" Chuck's voice is quiet, but firm, and Raleigh looks at him curiously. Something feels different compared to yesterday, and when he catches Chuck's eyes, there's determination in his gaze. He's obviously ready to share what's going on. He reached his decision. 

"Yeah?"

"I... Would you come with me this morning to... go somewhere?" Chuck seems to have difficulties finding the right words, but he doesn't avert his gaze. "We'll be back before the interview at noon."

Raleigh just nods and gives Chuck a little smile that he backs with reassurance over the ghost drift. The shield Chuck put up yesterday is still there, but it's considerately weaker and he can tell that Chuck is nervous, troubled and a bit scared. It's not something he's used to from Chuck, so whatever place he wants to go to, it has to mean a lot to him. Since Chuck makes no move to elaborate, Raleigh doesn't ask. He'll find out soon enough.

They're walking through the streets of Sydney only half an hour later after a quick breakfast that Chuck only picked at. He's quiet again, leading the way with the ease of an inhabitant of the city, and Raleigh follows him in silence. They're both wearing a not-so-subtle disguise of sunnies and caps, and luckily there are no fans or reporters waiting outside the hotel. Raleigh is still wondering where they're going, but he's sure he'll find out soon enough. They day is beautiful, the sky a clear blue and the early morning sun warm on his skin, and Raleigh finds himself enjoying their brisk walk despite the circumstances. He pays attention to his surroundings to get his bearings and to remember which way they took, until Chuck suddenly stops dead in his tracks. He just stands there on the sidewalk, his back stiff and an aura of loss and hurt about him, his gaze focussed on something in the distance. 

Raleigh steps up next to him, follows his gaze and finds an elaborate wrought iron gate with a sign above it. It reads _'2014 Memorial Cemetery'_ , and suddenly Raleigh knows what's going on, why they're here.

"I want you to meet my Mum." Chuck doesn't turn to look at him and his voice is barely above a whisper, but it's firm nevertheless. Raleigh feels a shiver run down his spine and the hairs on his arms stand up. The fragments he remembers of Chuck's nightmares suddenly make sense in a way they didn't before. 

"I'd love to." Raleigh replies after a moment that he needs to regain his composure, and he nods at Chuck with a little smile that is a mixture of nervous, touched and wary. He's not sure what to expect. He knows that his mom is one of Chuck's major sore spots. He has seen her in Chuck's memories and knows how much Chuck loved her, how much her death hurt him and how it was the turning point in Chuck's and Herc's relationship. But Raleigh also understands Herc, why he went to get Chuck instead of his wife. Herc knew there wasn't time to get them both to safety, and Raleigh will never hold it against him that he put his child first. From what little he has seen of Angela Hansen in the drift, he's sure she would have wanted it that way, that she would have done the same in Herc's stead.

Chuck takes a deep breath and then squares his shoulders before he begins walking again. Raleigh trails after him when they pass the gates and follow the little paths through the large area. It's a beautifully arranged cemetery with lots of trees and green spaces, tasteful headstones and statues. It's quite similar to other post-Kaiju-attack cemeteries that Raleigh has seen all over the world, but the peaceful atmosphere of this place and its well-kept graves set it apart in a good way. 

Chuck obviously knows his way around, because he doesn't hesitate once while weaving his way through the large cemetery. He comes to a stop in front of a square granite headstone with a small picture inlaid in the top right corner. It shows a beautiful woman with a huge, mischievous smile, her face framed by strawberry blonde long hair. Below, there's an inscription saying _'In memory of Angela Hansen, beloved wife and mother. We will miss you forever.'_

Raleigh stares at the grave for a long time, captured by the photo of the laughing woman who he met in Chuck's memories during their drifts. He thinks they chose the perfect picture, because that's how he experienced her. He completely understands why Chuck loved her so much. 

"It's empty." Chuck suddenly breaks the silence, his voice so small that Raleigh instinctively steps closer to him. "There was no body to bury."

Raleigh has to wet his lips before he can speak, and he still can't help his voice sounding hoarse and a bit broken. "I know." 

Oh yes, he knows the feeling, knows it so well. They never recovered what was left of Yancy's body. Yancy doesn't even have a grave. He never wanted one, and he made sure to put that down in his will with the PPDC, the one every Ranger is obliged to draw up. Sometimes Raleigh wonders if Yancy just didn't want to weigh him down, to tie him to a random spot on earth that doesn't even hold any special meaning to them. Anchorage hasn't been home in a long time, so there was nowhere they felt connected to enough to want to be buried there. Raleigh has the same regulation in his will, so it's not like he holds it against Yancy.

Chuck sinks down to sit on the grass in front of the tombstone and slowly passes a hand over it to wipe away some weeds. Raleigh lowers himself to the ground next to Chuck, close enough that their shoulders are pressed together. He can feel over the ghost drift how much Chuck needs and appreciates the closeness, how the feeling of Raleigh touching him grounds him. The shield he put up the day before is completely gone.

"I haven't been here in a while." Chuck's voice is very quiet, and Raleigh just listens without interrupting him. "I used to come here at least once a week when I was stationed in Sydney. I know it sounds stupid, but I talked to her, told her about the shit going on."

Chuck falls silent, his fingers still picking little pieces of greenery from the stone. Raleigh wraps his arm around Chuck without saying a word, and Chuck doesn't hesitate to lean into the comfort of the embrace.

"If Mum saw how bad things got between me and my Dad, she would kick both our arses to hell and back." Chuck says with a chuckle after a few minutes of silence. "She would never have forgiven both of us for being so... stupid." 

Raleigh can't quite hide his surprise at the words. He's well aware that both Chuck and Herc did their share in ruining their relationship, but he has seen enough in his drifts with Chuck to know that Chuck played the bigger part. His anger at his dad for not saving his mom - for not even _trying_ to save her because he came for Chuck instead - drove him to cut Herc every chance he got, to push him away with as much force as possible. If he's entirely honest, Raleigh doesn't think Herc ever stood a chance, even if he hadn't made the mistakes he did. To hear Chuck admit now that his dad is not the only one to blame, that Chuck himself isn't quite innocent, is something Raleigh didn't expect to happen so soon.

"I think I get why he did it. Why he... chose me instead of Mum." Chuck continues, then he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, as if he's fortifying for something. "It's what Mum would have wanted him to do."

Raleigh knows how much it costs Chuck to not only admit that to himself, but to actually say it out loud. He's so proud of Chuck for getting to this point, but he thinks it might be the right time to put another truth out there. "She would have done the same thing, had she been in your dad's place."

Chuck stiffens in his arms for a moment, then he forcefully relaxes again and sighs deeply. "Yeah, I know."

Raleigh hesitates for a moment, then he decides to push it. "Would you have forgiven her?"

Chuck is quiet for a long time, then he admits, "I really don't know." 

Raleigh smiles, satisfied with the answer. "Well, I guess that tells us that you love them both."

Chuck involuntarily lets out a dry laugh. "That was sneaky, Rals."

"Maybe." Raleigh shrugs, never letting go of Chuck. "But that makes it no less true." 

"Oh, Mum would have loved you." Chuck suddenly grins, and it's broad and teasing and genuine. "She always loved puppies. Especially puppies packing a punch."

Raleigh laughs, he can't help it in the face of Chuck's cheerfulness despite the situation. "I don't think I can count the times people have compared me to a puppy. But nobody _ever_ called me a 'puppy packing a punch'."

"Well, you do amazing puppy dog eyes." Chuck fakes seriousness, but the smirk tugging on his lips betrays him. "And there's certainly more to you than meets the eye. I can attest to that." 

"I think I'll take that as a compliment." Raleigh replies with a chuckle. Then he tightens his arm around Chuck's shoulders in encouragement. "Tell me more about her?"

Chuck is quiet for a moment, but it seems more like he's trying to decide where to start than as if he's drifting back into his subdued mood. After a minute, a grin comes to his lips and he begins talking about how his mom and dad met when she hustled him in pool in a bar close to the base where Herc was stationed. How she broke his dad's nose in the ensuing bar fight and how his dad not once managed to beat his mom in pool, not even years later. Chuck smiles when he talks about the things they did when he was a child, how his parents showed him the Outback that they both loved so much, how camping with his mom always meant that she'd come up with some mischief, that Chuck and her played pranks on Herc. He tells Raleigh about her laugh, that he'll always remember how genuine and carefree and whole-hearted it was. 

The more he talks, the more animated Chuck becomes, and to Raleigh it feels like a weight is lifting off Chuck's shoulders. He wonders if this is the first time that Chuck talks about his mom, about the good memories he has of her. He's quite sure that Chuck never had a conversation like this with Herc - in fact, Raleigh would bet that he probably never really _talked_ to Herc after Angela's death. Maybe that would change now. It would do them both a lot of good.

Raleigh and Chuck sit in front of Angela Hansen's empty grave and talk until the sun is high up in the sky and it's time to leave so that they'll be at the interviews scheduled for noon. There's a genuine smile on Chuck's face when he looks at the picture of Angela on the headstone and says, "Bye, Mum." 

When they leave the cemetery Raleigh can see that Chuck's steps are lighter, that he moves with his usual grace again and holds his head high. Chuck has changed in the past few hours.

Raleigh smiles and follows him down the street.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love to hear what you think of this fic! Make me happy and leave me a wee word :D


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